Quarantine Favorites: The Best Things To Spend Your Money On

Although quarantine has made us spend more time inside with our families, it’s also allowed us to spend more time online. Particularly, shopping online. It’s so much quicker to add things to your online basket than to buy them in store. Also, shopping online means you can easily compare prices for similar items with just a click of your button. However, how many times have you bought something online and forgot to send it back? Or even, were too lazy to make a refund so you just ended up keeping the item? Don’t worry, this is more common than you think.

While you can save lots of money by online shopping, it’s also easy to lose money by being lazy with your returns. It’s important to consider just what you are putting in your basket online, and how much you will realistically use it at home. Remember, you’re not doing as many things as you usually would at home, so it’s unlikely that you need to buy as much! Here is a list of the best things to spend your money on in quarantine which will get used the most during your time at home:

1. Hair Dye

With most salons shut right now, dark roots are growing quicker than ever before. But that doesn’t mean you have to wait until they open again! Even if your salon is still open for business, why wait to get an appointment when you can just touch up your roots yourself? Head to your nearest drugstore to pick up some dye. There are some good drugstore hair color brands that will only leave you $10 to $15 out of pocket, rather than your usual $40 to $45 plus tip at a salon. Don’t forget to rub petroleum jelly around your ears and on your forehead so you don’t stain your skin! If you’re really nervous about doing it yourself, ask one of your friends or family (who live in the same home as you) to give you a hand. They’ll make sure to do a good job!

2. A Food Processor

Social distancing has meant that we’re spending more time with our families at home. One of the rooms that we’re spending our time in is the kitchen! Family meals are a great time for parents to be role models for healthy eating, while also encouraging meal time family bonding. This time at home has also given us a chance to learn to cook and try out new recipes. One cooking tool used a lot in these recipes is a food processor.

Unlike a blender that should be used for liquid based foods, a food processor is used to make dry ingredients like hummus and pesto. A food processor also slices veggies like tomatoes, shreds cheese, finely chops/grinds ingredients, and of course mixes! Many large processors can also make delicious butters like nutbutter or sunflower seed butter. Here are some other tasty ideas:

• Tahini
• Potato cakes (grate several large russet potatoes)
• Hazelnut butter
• Homemade ice cream

3. Arts and Crafts Materials

Creating arts and crafts is a great way to spend time with your kids and is one of the most popular pastimes during quarantine. Therefore, arts and crafts materials are a good thing to spend your money on. Try some handmade fourth of July crafts ahead of this year’s celebrations. From a DIY fourth of July wreath to painted lawn stars, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to celebrate Independence Day!

Another popular arts and crafts pastime is knitting. Of course! Who wouldn’t want to come out of quarantine with a homemade blanket, scarf, or even a sweater? There are plenty of free knitting patterns online, you just need to buy the wool!

4. A Study Course

An online study course is a great investment if you want to stay productive during lockdown and learn a new skill that you can take with you forever! As well as various college online programs, you can emerge from quarantine as a nurse with an online nursing degree for non nurses. The Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Baylor University combines online courses, clinical and lab experiences, and hybrid interactive learning courses in an intensive full-time program. As well as access to teaching from a nationally recognized faculty, the program’s main coursework is online which means you can study from home! The program is currently designed for students residing in Texas, but outside the DFW metro area. The next start date is January 11, 2021 and Baylor are now accepting applications!

5. A Sewing Machine

There’s no doubt that a sewing machine is a big investment, especially if you’ve never sewn before, but it’s also an exciting one. With all this free time at hand, sewing is a great way to express your creativity and who knows, you could be a natural at it! From making your own clothes, to creating handmade gifts for birthdays and Christmas, there really is nothing you can’t do with a sewing machine. Why not start with learning how to make a cloth face mask to wear to slow down the spread of coronavirus? Once you’ve got the hang of it, you could make different ones with different fabric patterns for the whole family!

6. Exercise Equipment

Since many gyms have closed their doors, people have been trying to make the most of household items that double up as exercise equipment. However, if you want something a bit more professional, proper exercise equipment is a good thing to spend your money on. This means you can also eat your tinned cans as well! Basic equipment like yoga mats can mean that working out from home can be much more comfortable and enjoyable – you don’t just have to use them for yoga! Weighted resistance bands are also useful for stretching and add an extra level of weighted resistance to your workout. You can also increase the weight as you switch up the heaviness for different exercises. The best thing? Bands are not just affordable, but super easy to store in your garage and don’t take up much space!

What are some of the best things you have bought during quarantine?